The Hocking sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1871-1906, 1887-11-24
|BARNUM BURNED OUT
And a Number Of His An
imals Perish.
Thirty Elephants And Oiher
Beasts Roaming the Streets.
Intense Excitement During
the Progress Of the COnfia.
grafton.
The Loss More Than Half q Million
Dollars-The Calamity Caused By
the Explosion Of Lantern.

BRIDGEPORT, CONN, Nov. 90
About 10 o'clock tonight fire
broke out IN the cluster of build
ings occupied by P. T. Barnum as
winter quarters for his ''Greatest
Show on Earth" The blaze orig.
mated in the main building and
is supposed TO haye been caused
by the explosion of a kerosene
lamp. An alarm was rung in,
followed a few minutes Halter by
a second alarm, which brought a
greater part of the fird depart :
ment 10 the scene. Within five
minutes after the alarm was
sounded the streets were filled
with thousands of people hurry
ing toward the spot. It soon be-
came apparent that the main
building could not be saved and
everything was made to rescue
the animals. Some of these were
gotten safely out, but a large
number, including three ele-
phants-Samson, Jim and Burt
perished in the flames. Hundreds
of animals, including elephants,
lions, tigers, leopards, camels and
horses were liberated or else
broke loose, and for hours a tre
mendous uproar ensued. Sever
al persons were picked up in the
streets by the infuriated elephants
and tossed all around.
A detail of police pursued a
roaring lion and put six or seven
bullets into his hide but with no
perceptible result. At midnight
the fire is under control, but is
still burning.
The main building was destroy
ed. The fire was ca ,sed by the
the explosion of a watchman's
lantern. There were six watch.
men. FIVE have reported, but
one is missing.
Three elephants were burned
to death. Thirly-six broke loose
and escaped. Six of them and a
hippopotamus rushed through
streets in pitiable condition, be
ing terribly burned. Thirty ele-
plants and large lion started off
across the country toward East
On. All the trained horses were
burned, as were also the lions.
tigers, hyenas. Monkeys. birds.
eats and three rhinoceroses. The
were saved, but the
main building burned SO rapidly
and fiercely that water had no eff
ect upon The flames. The total
oss is estimated from $500. 900 to
ZOO, 900 with only 500. 900 insur.
'nce. Mr.. Boutwell,. the Bridge.
'ort agent, says steps will be tax.
N at once 10 obtain new attract
ons. He thinks the buildings
will be rebuilt at Jersey City in
tead of Bridgeport. on account
# the better facilities there. Mr..
5arnum and Mr.. Bailey are in
1ew York.
A watchrnan asserts that while |
his rounds he discovered |
he fire, and as he did SO he start
d to cry out, when some un-
nown person hit him on the |
cad with some blunt instrument
cling him to the ground and |
utting several severe gashes in
is head. He staggered to his
set, giving the alarm and ena-
ling the other watchmen, who
ere in the building preparing
'r bed, to escape. One of the
lree elephants burned was the
lmous sacred white elevhant."
he lion which the police at
,mpted to kill at the time the
re broke out was afterwards
'and in a barn devouring cow
hich he killed. He was shot.
Last evening, Brother Charley